Ada
by Faldon113
Summary: Ada is just one of the many children born to Maria and Robin. She is also the one to get into the most trouble. This is a very short one-shot of a time when Ada became lost in the winter woods and had a chance encounter that would change her life. Written for a school project.


_Ada_

Laughing, Ada raced further into the trees. Behind her, she could hear her father calling her name, but she didn't heed the call. For months she had been trapped within Moonacre as the bitter winter storms had dragged on and on. Her parents had let the children out whenever they could, but after so many years of playing in the gardens, there wasn't anything new or exciting for Ada. Not like the woods, were there was always something different, something she'd never seen before. She was not going to waste this break in the bad weather by obediently staying within the manor walls.

Ada wasn't like the rest of her siblings; content to play in the garden together, under their parent's watchful gazes. That wasn't to say that she didn't love her parents and siblings. She did. But sometimes she couldn't handle all the noise that seemed to follow them around like a black cloud. Whenever she thought she would scream in frustration, she ran away into her beloved forest and stayed there until the idea of other humans no longer made her want to stick her head in the river.

Unfortunately, her parents did not agree with her sanity keeping methods. Even though the woods were safer since her mother, Maria, had made peace with Monsieur Cocq de Noir and the Men from the Dark Woods, it was still a dangerous place. At least, that's what Ada was told again and again. Her father, Robin, was quite insistent that it simply wasn't a good idea for a young girl to run about the forest without protection. He'd go on for hours about how women were not as strong and needed to be watched over and protected. Honestly, her father could be so old fashioned. It was the nineteenth century, for heaven's sake! Ada was a strong and independent girl; she would be perfectly fine. Especially since she had actually taken the time to talk to the Men from the Dark Woods and learned how to survive in the forest with nothing but her wits. If her parents would just take the time to let her explain that to them, they wouldn't worry anymore and she wouldn't have to keep running away. Everyone would be happy. But noo. Her parents just had to be stubborn.

Deeper and deeper into the woods Ada went, wanting to be as far away from her screaming siblings and hovering parents as she could possibly be. She knew she'd be in trouble the moment she returned, so the plan was to not return until dinner time. By then her parents would be too happy that she got home safe to give her any lectures. They would wait until the next day, and then the lecture would be shorter simply because they would have time to calm down. It always happened that way.

Finally slowing to a walk, the young teen happily started to explore. It wasn't often that she could see the forest in the winter time, as the entire area was constantly buffeted by storms and blizzards. Taking care to make sure she knew where she was at all times, Ada began to discover what was different during the cold months. She already knew there were fewer animals, but those that she had seen were fuzzier than their summer kin. The very idea was exciting, and she was eager to learn everything she could.

If any had seen Ada as she made her way through the woods that day, they might have mistaken her for a forest sprite. Her hair glowed like embers in the winter light, and she was very lithe, seeming to glide rather than walk. Her face was Elvin in features, including the impish little points of her ears and the largeness of her pale blue eyes. In truth, it was her height alone that disabused the notion of her being a sprite, for she was quite tall for her age. She and her father had great fun joking about how most women of the Merryweather family were Moon Merryweathers, where she was clearly a Sun Merryweather in all but the fact that she did not seem to gain a pound. It flustered her mother quite a bit, but Ada didn't mind. She enjoyed being a creature of the sun, though she did find some guilty pleasure in wandering outside the manor at night. However, her parents were yet unaware of those outings, and she had no intention of informing them. Bad enough that they lectured her about the woods.

For hours upon hours, Ada roamed the forest. It was as though she had stepped into a new world, one made of silver and silence. And cold. Don't forget the cold. With a shiver, the teen huddled deeper into her coat. Okay, okay, so she should have brought something heavier. It wasn't like she didn't know how to survive in the white world. There just wouldn't be much comfort to be found.

Near mid-day, Ada decided to stop and rest. The bright sun was warming her if she stayed still in the sunlight, so she chose a sunny spot by an ancient tree that had fallen long ago. Her parents had often warned her about protecting herself from the cold, but with the day warming up she thought it would be safe to take a short nap. With the songs of sparrows in her ears and the warm sun on her face, the young teen slipped into the realm of dreams.

It was the cold that woke her up. For a moment, Ada thought that the sun had moved and that she was caught in a shadow. However, when she looked around she realized that everything was dark. Somehow, she'd slept through the rest of the day. It was nighttime in the forest.

And it was getting dangerously cold.

Shivering, Ada got to her feet and looked around. Everything was so different in the moonlight. She was sure that she'd known where she was when the sun had been up, but now she felt as lost as any of her siblings would have been. Attempting to keep her panic at bay, the redhead looked up at the sky. The Men of the Dark Woods had taught her how to find her location and directions using the stars. But the sky was thick with dark clouds. Another storm was blowing in, bringing a new wave of snow and dangerous winds. Unbidden, Ada remembered the stories told of travelers that had lost their way in the winter. Marie had shared stories of her father and experiences he had had in the military, reinforcing the idea that the elements killed far more than humans ever could. If Ada didn't find shelter quickly, she wouldn't live to see the morning.

Almost frantic, she started searching for anything that could protect her from the storm. A cave, a hollow tree, even a snow drift large enough to dig a small cave out of. There was nothing, and the wind was starting to pick up. It wouldn't be much longer before the storm broke. When it did, all hope would be lost.

Ada wondered how her family would react. Her parents would probably waver between anger and grief. Mother would lock herself in her room and cry while Father would rage around the manor, screaming at everything. No doubt her siblings would be the same. Grandfather Benjamin and Grandma Loveday would be heartbroken. Monsieur Cocq de Noir would probably hide it, but even he would be sad about her death. Why was she so stupid to run away from home this day? She knew that winter wasn't over and that other storms would be coming in. It was a break in the storms, not an end. If only she'd listened.

If only.

About to give into despair, Ada suddenly became aware of a very quiet sound. It sounded like the tiny silver bells that her mother loved so much. Soft and sweet and pure, the sound brought to mind a magic that was seldom found outside of the night. It was so mesmerizing that the young teen stood still and watched the woods, waiting for whatever was about to happen.

Despite that, the last thing she expected was for a tiny silver horse to step out of the tree line. It was so small and delicate, for a moment Ada wondered if it was actually real, or if it was just an apparition of moonlight and snow. But then it shook its mane and snorted, making a small cloud of steam around its muzzle. Surely a figment of her imagination wouldn't be that detailed. The horse looked right at her, pinning her with its liquid black eyes. For a moment, she thought it was admonishing her for being out in the woods at night. But then the moment was gone and it was just a normal horse, for all that it looked a little unreal.

"Can you take me home?" Ada asked, voice quiet and unsure. A part of her thought that it wouldn't be too much of a surprise if the silver horse actually replied. It didn't; just shook its head again so that its mane rippled and then continued to watch her. Slowly, she approached, not wanting to scare it, but it didn't even twitch. With exaggerated care, she reached to lay a hand on the proud arch of the neck. The fur was almost as cold as the snow that lay all about them. It was a strange feeling, but Ada realized that it fit. Whatever this horse might be, it was not normal.

A sharp gust of wind hit without warning, stealing the air from Ada's lungs with its biting cold. Knowing that this horse was her only hope of salvation, she decided to take a risk and swung onto the silver horse's back. For a second, everything was still. And then…

…they were flying! At least, it felt like that to Ada. She'd never dreamed that a horse could run so fast! The forest was just a blur as they ran, and the cold could not touch them. Soon the clouds were gone, and Ada realized that they had left the woods far behind them. And yet the horse kept running. Suddenly, there were lights drawing close. Excited, Ada thought it was the manor, but then slowly realized that it was much larger. It was a city, like her mother used to tell her about. Could this actually be London?

She didn't have time to see, because the horse just kept running. Faster and faster, Ada wasn't even sure that the hooves were touching the ground anymore. Shapes of light and darkness, villages and towns, kept appearing only to quickly be passed by and vanish behind them. At one point Ada saw a castle, blazing with light and ringing with laughter. The horse slowed slightly, letting the young teen see a bunch of people running around in strange looking robes and pointed hats. Her heart stuttered at the thought of witchcraft, but there was no time to worry about what she was seeing as the horse again picked up speed and they were racing away once more.

Then they were on the moors, racing the wind itself, or so it seemed. Will-o-the-wisps lit their path, and Ada almost thought that they were not alone. For a moment she thought that there were other white horses running with them, wild and free and full of magic. Then the horse she rode curved away, leaving the moors and herd behind as it ran for new lands. It was so wonderful, Ada was almost hoping it would never end.

But it did, as all good things must. The horse started to slow until it was finally walking through a place that reminded Ada of her garden at home. Then she spotted the silvery pink geraniums and realized that it _was_ her garden. They were back at Moonacre manor! Yes, there, there! She could see her home up ahead. Like a beacon in the darkness, the manor's lights guided the horse through the garden maze. Ada had never seen her home in such a way. After the darkness of the forest and the fear of the storm, the manor nearly glowed with heat and safety.

The horse finally came to a stop before the closed kitchen door. Carefully, Ada dismounted, surprised to realize that she wasn't as stiff as she'd expected. It was as though the ride had never happened. Oh, but all the amazing things she'd seen! If she lived to be a thousand she would never forget this night or the sights that the horse had shown her.

Overcome by emotions, the teen hugged the horse tight around the neck, unable to express how thankful she was, not only for everything it had shown her, but also for bringing her home again. For a moment she thought that the horse was laughing at her, like Grandfather Benjamin would when he thought she was being silly, but it still twisted its head around as though it was hugging her back. However, it eventually started to ease away, prompting her to let go. Reluctantly, she did, and watched as the horse spun around and raced off, disappearing when she blinked.

A sudden gust of wind reminded Ada of why she'd been so desperate to come home at all, and she spun around to enter the manor quickly. The moment she opened the kitchen door and stepped inside there was a cry of joy as her youngest brother saw her. In moments the entire family had convened in the kitchen, all exclaiming loudly and happily about her return. Marie had taken Ada in her arms and refused to let go while Robin held them both, chastising Ada for going to the woods at all though he could not keep the smile from his face. Somewhere in the manor was Monsieur Cocq de Noir and his Men, because Ada could hear them roaring happily when they were told that she had returned.

Ada simply basked in the joy of her family. She knew things would change. Though she would never give up her woods, she would also never stray so far in winter time. It also wouldn't be so bad to go with someone else, like Wrolf or her father. But most of all, she knew that every time she went into the woods, she would be looking for her new friend. Maybe she could even ride it again.

Realizing that her mother was asking her a question, Ada pulled her mind back to the moment and smiled, asking her mother to repeat herself. With a roll of her eyes, Marie did, asking how Ada had managed to find her way back. Ada's smile became soft as she said only four words.

"A little white horse."


End file.
